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B. M. DesJardins 




" In life's commencement day" 



WILD FLOWER POEMS 



Messages of Light and Voice 
The Hepatica Party : : : : : 
The Apple Blossom Party 
The Wild Flower Party : : 



BY 

Benjamin Myrrigk DesJardins 



BUENA VISTA 
WEST HARTFORD. CONNECTICUT 

December twenty-five nineteen hundred and eight 






LIBRARY of CONlaRESS I 
Two Copies Rec-eived 

DEC 2\ 1908 

Copyng-fit ir.ntry 

CLASS O- XXc, m, 

-2- "2- :!. <S ^ X- 

CGPY d. 



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Copyright 1908 
By B. M. DesJardins 



• •• 



Hi 




** The woods' enchanted tune" 



39 



Messages of Light and Voice. 



Out from the crested green, 
And the broad vale between, 

We cast our vision far 
Where mist gates are ajar, 

Looking wonderingly down 
Upon our Hartford town. 

With far unbroken wall, 
Where airy mist clouds fall ; 

Or hanging silver}^ veil, 
On ancient mountain trail. 



Hides in far ages gone 

Some strange mysterious song. 

Here in our vision dream 
Of things which truly seem, 

There come far stranger things 
Upon the light wave wings, 

Or when the spring bird's song 
So gaily drifts along. 

Or from the blossoming flower, 
A joy glides with its hour. 

Some times the gay light's whirl 
Sends us the face of Pearl, 

Every moment gathering, 
On light's clear silvery wing, 



Sunshine along the crest, 
Hurrying to our west. 

And the glad playtime hour 
Brings us an Ida flower. 

And the light wafts Mary 
From paths quite faraway ; 

Charlotta from the blue 
Sends out her light songs too. 

Helen and Gertrude come 
From their far village home, 

And suddenlv the lioht 
Hurries them to our sight. 

Who taught the silent wave, 
And who such cunnino- o-ave 



Those azure crested wings, 
To carry as she sings, 

A living counterpart 
Of Emma to our heart. 

Or mvstic crvstalHne, 

To bring us our Christine 

On molten airy steed, 

With instant hastening speed. 

Or Gertrude's classic thought 
Mysteriously wrought, 

And mounted on the wave 
A hand Almighty gave, 

Scattering everywhere. 
Along the paths of air, 




"What azure horseman brought" 
" Into our hearts to stay " 



And gather for our hours 
The sunhght of the flowers, 

Like them we send each day 
A gladdening smile away 

On some swift light wave's wing; 
Like them we love and sing. 



The Hepatica Party. 



Among the Buena Vista oaks 
With life's earlier gladdening song, 
Hepatica with silvery voice. 
Hastened the mild spring hours on. 



8 



















A resounding of children voices " 




We clear the mists away ' ' 



Ahead of the happyland chorus, 
Far reechoing from the flowers, 
When in May their blossoming joy 
Brings back to us those hearts of ours. 



'fc>' 



Softly, delicately they sang, 
Wakening the woodland bosom ; 
Out from the bordering branches, 
Up to the wild cherry's blossom, 

And down to the distant valley, 
Daintily and playfully borne. 
Reechoing over the distance, 
The fairy mantled April morn; 

Till back where the playhour place 
Has knotted the walnut rafter, 
A resounding of children voices 
Hither sent their gladdening laughter. 



The south lane's swift silver Hght 
Brought Myrtie on its chariot song, 
Ahead of her real templed self, 
In the steep pathway wild and long. 

Then through the stone stepped wild, 
Under the knotted oaken roof, 
Right close our glad hepatica, 
Wt heard the w^elconie voice of Ruth. 

And where the bigbranch spans the path, 
To guide our footsteps in the night. 
Those tender blooms of purplish blue 
Sang Alyrtle to our gladdening sight. 

And like another echoing note 
From the faraway blossoming east, 
Brino'ino' itself apain to us 
In this our flower song feast, 



lO 




Along by the wild bordered path" 11 



They brought again to us our Mabels, 
And the glad smiles they always bring, 
When their voices softly tell us 
Hepatica's pale tinted spring. 

Then the cherry gaily robed, 
So mindful of its harvest song, 
Sang its blossoms out for Jessamine ; 
Sweetly singing herself along ; — 

Along by the wild bordered path 
Where the wild flowers play 'T spy" 
W^hen Rilla and Frances, W^infred 
And Ruby in summer pass by. 

They clapped aloud wdien Helen came, 
Reechoing far "Glad you are come !" 
"Soon shall a hand gracefully slender 
Easily reach our cherry home," 



II 



Reechoing far for Bertha, 
Sending along their mellow light. 
Daintily mantling the glad hour 
Her song self hastened to our sight, 

Along the azure crested Vv^ave, 
Bearing mysteriously to view, 
The selves of those yet far away, 
Xow giving us our Elinor too, 

And bearing in the self same way, 
Upon some unseen snow white steed. 
The radiant face of Mildred's hour. 
Bringing the smile we always need. 

And molten with the blossom's light 
And echo from its sunlit song, 
Zulette and her hepatica. 
Heavenward l)ore us far along. 



12 



The Apple Blossom Party. 



I was quietly listening", 
To the blossom's singing; 
The daintily white robed May, 
x-Vs its voices floated away. 

Throughout the faraway green, 
In profusion was seen. 
The white apple blossom, 
On spring time's bosom. 

With rapture I listened, 
As the sun light glistened. 
Over the valley singing, 
Sweetly wafting and bringing. 



13 



A zephyr's charmed chorus, 
Of heavenly message for us, 
Laden with choicest honey, 
On silvery breaths of noonday ; 

When angel voices glide, 
Where sweet wild flowers abide, 
In life's commencement day. 
Radiating beautifully 

Amidst the restful trees, 
Shimmering in the breeze. 
And fields of waving green. 
Carpeting the aisles between. 

Their far reechoing lay, 
AViles the fair hours away. 
Mantling with daint}^ hand, 
The soul's visit to earth land. 



14 




(t 



Up on the chimney deck ' ' 



16 



AWapped in the dreamy challis, 
Of this our mortal palace ; 
The angel song of flowers, 
Perfumed with honey showers, 

Mystically hither drifting. 

On some molten airy wing, 

^^^afted to our earthly sight, 

A human rhythm arrayed in white, 

Over the valley's song w^ave driven, 
By the chariot steeds of heaven ; — 
The airily fashioned form and face. 
And templed similitude of Grace. 

Wafted on the silvery path, 
AVhich the song of spring bird hath ;- 
Where the apple blossom's white. 
Glides along its waves of light ; 



15 



With the thoughts that Eunice sent, 
From the play hour where she went ; 
The pathway where is driven, 
Swift chariot steeds of heaven ; 

Charmingly wafting to our sight, 
With the apple blossom's white ; 
Grace and Eunice's joys commingling 
Song selves on the blossom's wing. 

Then down through the valley's green. 
And the avv^akening woods between. 
And up on the chimney deck ; 
Up from the white far away speck, 

Grace stood, against our eastern view. 
Till by the roadway's distant blue, 
Gladdening footsteps, hurrying along, 
Hither-ward came with blossom's song. 



i6 




" One from the south land came" 



17 



And watching the azure skies, 
A\'ith the field glass to our eyes, 
The waving of the apple's white, 
\A^afted to our gladdened sight, 

Two Mabels, on the crystal crest, 
\A'here the spring hour visions rest; 
One of the north's domain, 
And one from the southland came; 

One with the robin's grace ; 
One with a smile on her face; 
Both sending airily along, 
Themselves dissolved into song. 

The voice of the blossom's singing. 
Now gaily laden were bringing 
A life chorus from the flowers, 
AA'ith breaths of sweet mist showers ; 



17 



As over the clear bosom, 
Of the snow white blossom, 
Many another chorus song, 
Now gaily waft along. 

The enchanted airy way, 

Of the fairy white robed May. 

There with crystalline delight. 

The playful, dancing sunbeam's light, 

Woos the children's loveliness, 
Robed in mystic fair}^ dress. 
Mounts them on the chariot's wing, 
With soft songs gay spring birds sing ; 

Glides them high above the blossom. 
Nestled in the valley's bosom. 
In their rapid airborne mission. 
To our glad awaiting vision, 



i8 




With the longings Ethel sent" 



19 



Bringing- step and gesturing smile 
Along the silver white-decked aisle ;- 
Weaving with its crystal woof, 
The airy counterpart of Ruth ; 

Far over apple blossom's home, 
Merged with a lover's poem ; 
Riding on the silver crest, 
In a chariot to our west. 

With the longings Ethel sent, 
From the play hour where she went ; 
Riding on the silver wing 
Of the carol spring birds sing. 

Now they fling to the soft breeze, 
From the blossoming apple trees, 
Telling through the crystal air. 
That Hazel's self is singing there. 



19 



Up to the blossom's white, 
Encoring crystalHne dehght, 
Now airily floating along, 
Is Jessamine herself a song, 

On the rippling of the gold, 
Which the mist reflections hold, 
Scintillating as they send 
A voice of Marie on the wind. 

And the chariot b}^ her side. 
Where the songs of blossoms ride, 
Bring, along the crystal lace, 
An encore of Helen's face. 

Then floating gaily along. 
In the cadence of its song. 
Sent a crystal airy chorus. 
Westward to our waiting Frances 



20 



With Clara, in her bluer west, 
Full of waving smiles and zest, 
Resounding to the valley's chime. 
An echo of the spring's May time. 

Then on the crested purple. 
Of a waving poem of Myrtle, 
Came, out of the peopled song, 
A joy which to youths belong. 

As over the carpeted aisle, 
She came, a gladdening smile : 
Then Helen and Arline glide. 
An encore to the light waves' ride. 

Then Florence and Mildred came 
Along the charioted lane, 
Where the white blossom's repose. 
Had moulded the features of Rose. 



21 



Sending on the light-wave's crest, 
Among the chariots, to the west, 
With the apple blossom's rhythm, 
Speeding to our waiting vision, 

Along the fairy molten path. 
The apple's honey blossom hath. 
Gliding on light's white steed, 
With the sun beam's arrow speed, 

Quick as moments pass along; 
Each brought Lillian with its song, 
Riding on the light wave's crest, 
Amidst the chariots, to our west. 

And those armaments of light. 
Bore \'iola to our sight. 
Over the gav vallev's stream, 
IMeeting on the templed green ; 



22 




Over the carpeted aisle ' ' 



21 



Where white-winged light rays bore, 
From the western azure shore, 
Ruby's gladdening templed light, 
With Rilla, merging on our sight. 

And a snow white mantle holds, 
In delicately tissued folds, 
Life's early morning face 
Sent hitherward from Grace 

W^ith Zulette, from the blossom 
Of the white apple bosom ; 
Each like a silver star, 
Fairy borne from mists afar. 

Thus the apple's honey chorus, 
With a little by- word for us, 
And a meaning echoing far, 
From the weaves along the bar, 



23 



In the gladness of the spring, 
When the birds with pleasure sing, 
And every earthly templed form, 
Finds its glad awakening morn, 

Amidst a trying world of strife ; 
In silent, quiet hours of life, 
We gather from earth's bosom. 
The apple's fair white blossom. 



24 







t ( 



Girls and flowers convene ' ' 



25 



The Wild Flower Party. 



June's morning sunshine ; 
Daintily it threw, 
Like a mantle, its love. 
Where wild flowers grew. 

And where softly is spread, 
The young Maytime green 
In its fairyland field, 
Girls and flowers convene. 

To the south Myrtie was singing, 
By the broad meadow's lane. 
Where later buds of summer, 
Sweet later songs contain. 



25 



And close to the damp earth, 
x\sleep in their dew, 
Some hnger for June, 
Their joy to renew. 

There gaily the sweet violets, 
Purpling the earth. 
Sang out from the soil, 
The sod of their birth. 

They sang near the brook. 
From the dew of the willow, 
Where the fair marigold 
Sings close to its pillow. 

Up from the lowland. 
Where sluggishly grew; — 
Up from the disdain. 
Of the fall feathery rue, 



26 




** We send each day 

A gladdening smile away " 



8 



They leaped at the sight 
Of a maiden bright ; 
Softly they sung and told, 
With musical voice of gold, 

A\ ith laughing jewel weed. 
And yellow golden song. 
Reechoing the moments, 
Myrtie passed along. 

Down the gold-fringed stream. 
Winding its mirroring way. 
They sang up to the road. 
With their fairy-like lay. 

On the zephyr wings. 
And the sweet scented air, 
An anthem from Grace, 
Airily floating there. 



27 



Where sweet scented clover, 
By the wide roadway green. 
The bumblebee's blossom, 
In the summer is seen. 

Saintjohns wort zealously 
Guardian of the unknown. 
Its July is awaiting, 
A yellow golden throne. 

Enthused by the voice 
Of a thousand strong, 
The gay buttercups sang 
A glad echoing song, 

AMiile late flowers awaited. 
In their mantled repose. 
The buttercups wafted afar, 
A chorus to Ethel and Rose. 



28 



The glad singing of Myrtle 
Went south over the green, 
Upward the clear brook, 
^^d^ere ATyrtie was seen. 

Far over the long foot-hill. 
The echoing anthem of song. 
In nuisic was gaily telling. 
Two Myrtles were coming along. 

The red lipped ramsted said, 
Twas hurrying its June day, 
\Mien the heavy bumblebees 
\\'ill release its fragrant lay. 

Yes they smile near the brook, 
A pale bluish green leaf. 
Builds a thick lipped blossom 
AA^ith smile of relief. 



29 



Flat topped thorough wort,. 
In arrowy whorls now weaves, 
For a late lavender blossom, 
Circles of saw toothed leaves. 

While the buttercups gaily 
Sing up to their heaven, 
The grand triumphant chorus 
Their springtime has given. 

Lady's thumb, with wiry stem. 
Is commencing to think. 
With its long lanced leaves 
And corollaless pink. 

Down where the clear brook, 
Glides in its mirroring rush. 
The song hastens the clustering. 
The pink of tall steeple bush . 



30 




<( 



Mingling the singing for us " 31 



Gaily singing with pale green, 
July marsh saintjohns wort 
Is Ijiiilding itself for pink, 
Hidden from dang-er and hurt. 



'fe" 



They sing with the chicory. 
Building coarse toothed leaves ;- 
To match the sky with its blue, 
A windmill like flower weaves. 

And enchanting the distance, 
With the merriest song. 
Our Eunice and Jessamine, 
Airy-cloud-like passed along, 

Covering the valley with Dorris ; 
Wafting the gold and the blue ; 
Mingling the singing for us. 
They sent the marigold too ; 



31 



Wafting hither loosestrife, 
Bearing magenta along, 
A»d the loosestrife's yellow 
Was charmed by the song. 

Together the girls and flowers, 
Singing and marching they came, 
Up the woodbordered hill. 
Where sweet bluets remain. 

All over the gay decked field. 
They are singing everywhere, 
With echoing song, the bluets, 
They fill the honey dewed air. 

The song of the children 
And the flowers unite 
With an anthem of zephyr, 
Wafting Ruby in sight. 



32 



Glad were the flowers 
\\^ho had blossoms that day, 
And their lives went out 
In the song of their lay. 

The buttercups harvest of gold, 
The great riches they yield, 
Joined with songs from lowland 
Reechoing over the field. 

There spreading pale purple, 
Aw'aits the eye of the day, 
Singing the great promise 
Of the years in its lay. 

The wild morning glory, 
With its arrow leaved vine, 
To sing out purple and white 
Hastens the limbs to entwine. 



33 



Ahead of the aster's purple 
Up over the violets blue, 
Drinking the violet's singing, 
Song of the sky's azure blue. 

Drinking its zephyr of honey, 
Opening its guarded throat ; — 
While a singing of two Mabels 
Over the flowers float, 

Swaying wild honeysuckles 
Whose crimson blossoms bring 
The airily floating longings 
Frances and Hazel sing. 

The many notched leaves 
And the purplish pink 
Of cranes bill's warble, 
Sings its clustering link, 



34 




Drinking the violets' singing ' ' 



34 



In the laughing chain 
Of girls and of song, 
Where a zephyr from Ruth 
Comes floating along. 

While an anthem from Ethel 
And from Rose on the breeze 
Is wafting their lives 
To the lives of the leaves, 

With cinquefoil and Eunice 
In voices of gold, 
Sending their singing 
To the stream's marigold. 

They joined wild geranium 
So fair under the trees, 
Singing with both Myrtles 
A grand song of the breeze ; 



35 



A loud singing rebuke, 
With the soil and the stars, 
Which presence of pimpernel 
With music debars. 

There the hepatica, 
So low by the tree, 
Early had sung and shown 
Its sweet white to the bee. 

The brittle lance leaf 
And the sharp prickly stem 
Of the teazel was waiting, 
For the passing of spring. 

Cone-flower, uplifting 
Its song voice to defend. 
With banner of orange and gold, 
For justice longed to contend; 



36 



For under the fair blossoms, 
Defying the state law, 
Was liveliest wild carrot 
I'm sure vou ever saw. 

Evening primrose hiding 
Stealthily under the green. 
Fittingly ashamed to allow 
Its pale yellow to be seen. 

Large wood lily was hidden, 
By many a leaf's throng. 
Waiting for its summer 
AVith its sweetness and song. 

To cover the broad hill 
With its fair orange red, 
An encore to the song 
In the wild rose bed. 



37 



The little thorny bush 
Of the sweet red wild rose, 
The happiest of them all, 
As a wild flower grows, 

A\^hile the lilv for vermillion, 
Awaits the season's advance 
To cover the laughing field 
With its orange and dance. 

The bell w^ort lily drooped 
Its long gay yellow flower, 
Forgetful of all except 
Itself and its sweet hour, 

Dorris she tarried with it 
Under the azure blue, 
But it scattered its gold away 
On the green sod where it grew; 



38 




i( 



The airily floating longings 
Frances and Hazel sing" 



34 



Not far from amaryllis 
Whom heaven's great sun 
Has given daintiest petals 
To be loved and looked upon, 

Where wide leaved water lily 
With its flower's prettiest white, 
Was awaiting the June's sun 
To give it its light. 

There a leaf from vervain, 
Whose purplish blue for June, 
Was drinking and singing 
The wood's enchanted tune. 

W'hite rayed wood aster, 
A broadly lanced leaf weaves, 
Absorbing the glad song, 
Awaiting the painting of leaves, 



39 



Repeating the anthem 
With the wild columbine, 
Dazzling yellow and pink, 
Singing all the time, 

Singing with meadow sweets' 
Fragrant flower of white. 
Drinking and singing 
The sun's pure light. 

Deep into the woods, 
Their song from afar, 
Joins a zephyr of honey 
For the little white star. 

And Jessamine w^as singing 
A\Mth the greatest of glee; 
Herself was a song 
For the star anemone. 



40 




"Children who honored the May" 42 



And for the wind flower 
With the song- it was singing, 
With the voice of the hopes 
The morrow was bringing, 

And that grace, which the chorus 
The wild clematis sing 
With small blossom of white, 
At the close of spring. 

Pearly everlasting sent 
An anthem to Ruby's June, 
Thrilling its hastening July, 
With white and silvery green tune. 

The loveliest purple aster. 
Weaving its leaves in the sod, 
Was waiting for its autumn. 
To sino" with the efolden rod. 



41 



The songs of the blossoms gay, 
And children who honored the May, 
The gladdening tune they bring. 
With zephyrs of honey and spring, 

Gladdens the duller leaf, 
With music's unbounded relief, 
With life's breathing of spring 
A\'hen girls and flowers sing. 

A tender fast growing plant, 
For a purplish flower. 
To lure the fair butterfly 
At the twilight hour. 

Now opening its prison. 
Gave its voice free flow ; — 
Sang to the west winds. 
Please let me go. 



42 




Where the playhour place 
Has knotted the walnut rafter" 



A tall dandelion's cluster 
Of flowerlet yellow gold, 
With song" was weaving itself, 
Ready to fly a hundred fold. 

The great fuzzy-leaved mullen 
Is weaving bluish green ; 
It stands up like a prince 
And can easily be seen, 

Towering upward and climbing, 
Weaving its yellow flower song; 
Building the tall watch tower, 
The king bird roosts upon. 

And hurrying awaiting. 
Its thorn stems everywhere, 
The tall blackberry vine. 
Its song fills the air; 



43 



» . > 



Singing with pepper-grass, 
AVith its spray so slender, 
Waving its whitish flower, 
Where the paths meander. 

Over white decked carpet, 
Spreading here and there. 
Wild strawberry blossom 
Is singing everywhere. 

And even the plantain, 
With the joy of the breeze. 
Mingles its glad singing 
With the voice of all these ; 

The good green plantain. 
Its coarse ribbed leaves, 
With many a thought's song, 
The painful bruise relieves. 



44 



Fringing the white-decked field, 
Covering the sod all over, 
Singing with expectant voice ; 
Sweet little white clover. 

Tall thistle defiant, 
With jagged thorny leaves, 
For purplish flower clusters, 
Defensive weapon weaves. 

The great heart leaf too. 
The catnip's mint, was there. 
Awaiting its purplish cluster. 
As sweetly it scented the air. 

The honey-filled red clover. 
On spring meadow's bosom. 
Is ready now to sing 
Its sweetlv scented blossom. 



45 



White chick-weed and wood-sorrel 
With pale fluff pussy-toes, 
Commingle their spring songs 
Where sweet white clover grows, 

Singing a far chorus 
With the valley's marigold, 
With Lillian and Viola, 
Voicing hither their gold, 

Gathering pale white violets. 
Which earlier had flitted away 
Their song to the swift winds, 
In early morning of May. 

There were in this chorus. 
Fine cut leaves of yarrow, 
Awaiting its white flower 
From the sun light to borrow. 



46 




Hurrying to our west' 



Lady's tresses from the valley, 
And small Solomon's seal, 
Were voicing in silence, 
A mild song of appeal. 

By the flower fringed path, 
The sweet little blue curls 
Laughed as they gaily sang 
For our fair angel girls. 

The coarse roman wormwood, 
With its many toothed leaves, 
The rough bank of gray clay 
Quite fittingly relieves. 

The thimble weed tall and erect, 
With jagged leaves is ready now, 
With its handsome waving palm, 
To unfold its whitish brow. 



47 



And waft far upward its voice, 
As the little maidens pass, 
With the softest daintiest song 
Of sweet-voiced blue eyed grass, 

Wafting a voice of Zulette 
Far to the path we must pass ; 
Singing the daintiest song, 
Sweet voiced blue eyed grass. 

And to Marie the violets sang 
Their royal purple song, 
Sendinij on to Winfred 
Its green leaf heart along. 

As the hanging shooting star 
Had sung its song away, 
With voice of pale magenta, 
Singing out its day. 



48 




Quick as moments pass along ' ' 



22 



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HECKMAN 

BINDERY INC. 

^^ DEC 88 



N. MANCHESTER, 
INDIANA 46962 



